Double loop track system for railway freightyard and freight station

ABSTRACT

A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station, having an arrival line connected to main lines which receive arriving trains, a departure line connected to the main lines which allow departure of made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to the arrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departure line, a plurality of sorting lines connected to the divergent loop track, each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein and extending in a diverging direction therefrom. The ends of the sorting lines in the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system are coupled to the convergent loop track, so that when railway cars, received on the arrival lines, are pushed toward the divergent loop track, the cars can be switched along the divergent loop track and sorted onto appropriate sidings of the sorting lines and then connected successively in the desired order in a train along the convergent loop track to the departure line.

1 June 17, 1975 O United States Patent 11 1 Harada DOUBLE LOOP TRACKSYSTEM FOR RAILWAY FREIGHTYARD AND FREIGHT STATION [75] Inventor: MinoruHarada, Zushi, Japan [73] Assignee: Japanese National Railways, Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No: 496,284

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 20, 1974 Japan 49 92426 [52]0.8. CI 104/26 R; 104/29 [51] Int. Cl B6lb 1/00 [58] Field of Search104/26 R, 26 B, 27, 29

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,280,144 10/1918 Bonner 14104/29 1,387.863 8/1921 Otis 1,675,027 6/1928 Grady 104/26 R as iPrimary Examiner-Mt Henson Wood, .lr. Assistant Examiner-Randolph A.Reese Attorney, Agent, or FirmWenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT A looptrack system for a railway freightyard and freight station, having anarrival line connected to main lines which receive arriving trains, adeparture line connected to the main lines which allow departure of madeup trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to the arrivalline and a convergent loop track connected to the departure line. aplurality of sorting lines connected to the divergent loop track eachhaving a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein and extendingin a diverging direction therefrom. The ends of the sorting lines in thedirection of movement of the railway cars through the system are coupledto the convergent loop track, so that when railway cars, received on thearrival lines, are pushed toward the divergent loop track, the cars canbe switched along the divergent loop track and sorted onto appropriatesidings of the sorting lines and then connected successively in thedesired order in a train along the convergent loop track to thedeparture line.

SHEET PATENTEDJIJN l 7 I975 FIG. 2(a) msmcnm 17 m5 3 889.6 03

SHEET 5 FIG. 3 (a) FIG.3 (b) PATENTEDJUN 17 ms SHEET now 3w DOUBLE LOOPTRACK SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY FREIGIITYARD AND FREIGHT STATION BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The railway car breakup-sorting operation at a railwayfreightyard and freight station has conventionally been executed asdescribed later in connection with FIG. 1.

According to the conventional method. the cars to be shunted are sortedout onto appropriate sidings. held on these sidings until a specifiednumber have been accumulated, then specified cars are picked out ofseveral sidings by an engine for transferring them, and by uncouplingand coupling. formed a train. This cycle of cars being hauled out by ashunting engine and coupled has to be repeated. and accordingly valuabletime and manpower are wasted in the operation. resulting in a very poorefficiency of work.

In view of these disadvantages inherent in the present railway carsorting operation at a railway freightyard and freight station. theprimary object of the present invention is to provide a double-looptrack system. in which the cars can be easily sorted out while runningalong double-loop track system continuously in a single direction.thereby eliminating the waste in the conventional. discontinuousshunting operation which is a repetition of the cycle of cars beinghauled out by a shunting engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The track system according to the presentinvention consists of a divergent loop track connected to the arrivallines and a convergent loop track connected to the departure lines. Anumber of sorting sidings branch off from said divergent loop track. Theends in the railway car-moving direction of said sorting sidings areconnected to said convergent loop track. One or several of the cars in atrain on the arrival lines are cut out and rolled along said divergentloop track. In this process of rolling. the cars are sorted out ontoappropriate sorting sidings arranged along said divergent loop track andcombined with other cars which have already been sorted onto thesidings. and thereafter they are rolled off the other ends of thesidings and attached successively on said convergent loop track and thendirected therefrom to specified tracks of the departure lines.

In the present invention it is desirable to install a subloop track forremoval of cars from an arriving train, which sub-loop track branchesoff at one point from said divergent loop track and connects to anotherpoint of said divergent loop track.

Further it is desirable that the sorting sidings include one forbrake-vans. one for specified cars and one for common cars; and ifnecessary an automatic multistage make-break line can be laid out.

For the practical application of the present invention to a railwayfreightyard. it would be preferable to provide two track systemsaccording to the present invention and one arrival line for common use.

For practical application of the present invention to a freight station,it would be desirable to provide an additional truck system with such anarrangement that the end in the car-moving direction of each group ofsorting sidings in the track system of the present invention isconnected to another divergent loop track. from which a number ofsorting sidings branch out. and these sidings lead to the departure linevia another convergent loop track.

Other objects. features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description made inconjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view illustrating arailway carshunting track layout in a conventional freightyard;

FIG. 2a is a plan view showing the basic constitution of the tracksystem of the present invention;

FIG. 2b is a plan view schematically showing the track layout in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a.-

FIG. 2c is a plan view explaining the function of the automaticmultistage make-break line in the prior art;

FIG. 2d is a perspective view illustrating the layout of a conventionalscrew-booster to be employed in the present invention;

FIG. 2e is a front elevation of the screw-booster of FIG. 2d;

FIG. 2f is a sectional view taken along the line Zf-Zf of FIG. 2e;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the relation be tween saidscrew-booster and a car wheel when a car is boosted by saidscrew-booster;

FIG. 3a is a plan view illustrating a second embodi' ment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3b is a plan view schematically showing the track layout in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 30;

FIG. 4a is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 4b is a plan view schematically showing the track layout in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 40.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I illustrates aconventional layout of railway car-shunting lines at a railwayfreightyard.

In FIG. 1, an arrival or incoming line is at I. The engine hauling thetrain arriving on the arrival line I is uncoupled at the switch 3 anddiverted along track 2; and the remaining cars to be shunted areintroduced onto the tract 6' at the switch 3'.

The cars to be shunted are cut and rolled one after another or in groupsand in accordance with the labels carried on them. they are sorted outat the switches 5 or 6 onto the sorting siding 7 or 8, where, dependingon the destination of the cars. the switches 9-16, 17-26 areappropriately turned and the cars. brake-vans or specified cars going inthe same direction are respectively sorted onto the sorting sidings7a-7i and 8a-8i. The turning of the switches at these points is usuallycontrolled as follows.

The destination labels of the cars arriving on one track in the arrivalline 1 are detected before the switching operation at the control center4. Thereby the route of the first car to be shunted is set. If the routeof the first ear is set to send it to the sorting siding 7b, the switchin the branch line 5 is turned to the left in the travelling directionand the one in the branch line 9' at the sorting siding 7b is turned tothe right. When the first car clears the track circuit for the branchline 9', the clear" signal is sent to the control center and thereuponthe switches necessary for establishment of the route for the secondcare are turned.

in this way each sorting track receives cars for the same destination orthe same direction. Usually, however. brake-vans, specified cars andcars to be trans ferred again are placed on a separate track. Forinstance, suppose in FIG. 1 the siding 7t is intended for reception ofbrake-vans; the siding 7ffor specified cars; and siding 7g for cars tobe transferred again. Then the brake-vans go to siding 7c; the specifiedcars go to siding 7f; the cars to be transferred again go to siding 7g.The term brake-van" as used herein is intended to describe a vehicle,such as a caboose, on which the train conductor sits to perform hisduty; in a train, usually it is coupled at the head or at the tail end.The term "specified carmeans one the position of which in the makeup oftrain is specified ahead of time. The term car to be transferred meansone which has to be temporarily held on another siding, when the propersiding is so full of cars already directed onto it that it can hold nomore cars.

Arriving cars are thus sorted out onto appropriate sidings. However,some trains. such as local trains, have to be formed such that eachtrain is formed with the ears thereof arranged not only in a group goingin the same direction but also in good order from the departure stationto ultimate destination. Therefore, when such local trains are to beformed. for the purpose of rearranging the cars, say, on the sortingsiding 7a in good order from departure to destination, a shunting engineis sent from the engine pool 48 via the switches 45-27 to the siding 7ato haul out these cars; which are then moved via the switch 50 to theconventional automatic multistage make-break lines 43, where they arerearranged and therefrom returned to the siding 49.

When a partially formed train is to have a brake-van or specified carscoupled to the cars sorted on a sorting siding, this is done as follows.In the following description the brake-van is to be coupled at the tailend of the train. and the specified car is to be positioned between agroup A of cars at the head and a group B behind. The specified carsorting siding 7] is assumed to have a number of specified cars thereonand the brake-van sorting siding 7e is assumed to have a bralte-vanthereon.

To achieve this, the shunting engine is sent via the switches 45, 311and to the brake-van siding 7e, to haul out the brake-van. Then with thebrake-van coupled thereto, the engine goes into the siding 7b, where itconnects said brake-van to the head car in the group B on said siding.Leaving the brake-van and group B, it then goes into the specified carsorting siding 7g to haul out the specified cars to be coupled andprovisionally leave said specified cars at the foremost end of 7g. Theengine then goes back to siding 7b and picks up the said 8 group of carsand the brake-van out of siding 7b and couples it to and hauls out saidspecified cars provisionally left on siding 7g. couples it to the Ablock of cars on the siding 7a, and thereby forms the train. The enginetransports the thus made up train of cars to a specified track of thedeparture line 49 through. say. the switches 27, 27', 28, 29, 30, and485. Concurrently, in FIG. 1. 31-34, 35-41. 44-47, -54, 481-486, 491-499are switches.

As described above the conventional shunting of cars at a railwayfreightyard is a discontinuous operation. with cars being repeatedlycoupled to and hauled out by and uncoupled from a shunting engine; andaccord- 4 ingly train formation takes considerable time and labor,resulting in poor efficiency in making up a train.

Referring to FIGS. 20-1), :1 full description of the present inventionwill be given.

In FIGS. 2a and 2h, main lines are shown at and 56; an arrival line isshown at 57: a divergent loop is shown at 62; a convergent loop track isshown at 66 and a sub-loop track 68 extends from the divergent looptrack to the arrival end of the arrival line 57. Each track. althoughrepresented in the drawing as a single line. is actually a normal trackcomposed of two rails laid at a specified spacing. The main line 56 isconnected via the switches 75, 76 and 77 to the arrival line 57. Thearrival line 57 consists of a number of parallel tracks 571-577 andconnected via the switches 571a-577a. The arrival line 57 is connectedto the divergent loop track 62 at switch 78.

From the right half of the divergent loop track in FIG. 2a branch out atthe switches 78, 79, 81 and 82 the groups of sorting sidings 58, 59, and61. The groups of sorting sidings 58, 59, 60 and 61 each consist of aplurality of sorting sidings, i.e., a brake-van siding, a specified carsiding, and a common car siding.

These sidings can be provided as automatic multistage make-break lines92-95, which have the same as the simiiar lines 42 and 43 in FIG. 1',they can easily break up a train of cars and make them up into a newtrain with the cars arranged in the order of destination, when thesecars reach the sorting sidings in the random order.

The composition and function of the automatic multistage make-breaklines can be simply described, and reference is made to FIG. 2c.

In FIG, 20, 582 corresponds to the sorting siding in FIG. 2a. The mainline of this sorting siding 582 branches out right and left in thecar-moving direction respectively at 92a, 92b and 92c; and the branchlines are connected at one point 92h in the car-moving direction of saidmain sorting line 582 respectively via the siding 582C and 582d. Thesiding 582(' is divided into three parts by points 92d and 92e, and inFIG. 2c the left extreme part is designated section 1, the middle partsection II and the right extreme part section III. The siding 582d isdivided into three parts by the points 92f and 92g and the left part isdesignated section IV, the middle part section V and the right partsection VI.

Now suppose cars carrying the labels in the order 1, 4, 7, 9, 6, 5,8, 2,3, are diverted to the automatic multistage malte-break line 92 of thesorting line 582 shown in PEG. 2r. These cars are to be rearranged inthe normal order 1-9, utilizing said automatic multistage make-breakline 92. First, from the cars arranged in the order of l, 4. 7, 9, 6, 5,8, 2, 3, the numbers are taken in ascending order from left to right andthe cars are grouped in the following five series: 1, 2, 3, (firstgroup); 4, 5, (second group); 6 (third group); 7, 8, (fourth group); and9 (fifth group).

Then the switches are turned so that the first group is directed to goto section I, the second group to section ll, the third group to sectionIll, the fourth group to section IV and the fifth group to section V.Thus the car 1 reaches section I via switches 92c and 92e and is haltedby the bumper S Next, the car 4 is sent to section ll via the switches92b and 92d; it is halted by the bumper S Similarly. the car 7 isdirected to section IV. car 9 to section V, car 6 to section III. car 5to section ll, car

Following this breakup, the bumpers S 5,, are turned down by, say, ahydraulic means of the prior art, and the cars on the siding 582v arepushed out in the direction of the arrows via the point 92):, by, say, ascrew-booster to be described later. Then the cars on the siding 582dare pushed out in the same direction. In this way the cars can berearranged into a train with the cars coupled in the order l-9. Thisprocess of rearrangement can be done, no matter how random the order ofcars to be sorted on the sidings.

The ends of the sorting lines 58, 59, 60 and 61 are connected throughrespective switches 586b, 88, 89 and 90 to the convergent loop track 66.The convergent loop track 66 leads to the departure line 64. Thedeparture line 64 consists ofa number of parallel tracks 641-646. Saiddeparture line 64 is connected via the switches 64112-64611 to the mainlines 55, 56 by branch off points 91, 70 and 74. From the point 84 ofthe divergent loop track the sub-loop track 68 for pushout of arrivingcars branches out, Said sub-loop track 68 leads via the shunting enginepool 65 and the switch 77 to the arrival line 57. The shunting enginepool 65 consists of a number of parallel tracks 651-655. The divergentloop track 62 is further connected at the points 85 and 86 on its lefthalf with the empty car pool 63. The empty car pool 63 consists of anumber of parallel tracks 631-636.

In FIG. 2a, 57lu-577a, 571b-577b are the switches of the arrival line57', 581a-586a and 58112-586!) are those for the sorting line 58',59la-596a and 591b-596b are those for the sorting line 59', 60la-606aand 601b-606b are those for the sorting line 60; 6110-6160 and 611b-616bare those for the sorting line 61; 631(1-6360 are those for the emptycar pool 63; 65111-6550 and 65lb-655b are those for the shunting enginepool 65; and 641a646a and 64119-64611 are those for the departure line64. 71 is a branch off point and 69 is the control center.

With this arrangement, the shunting operation according to the presentinvention of a train which has passes from the main line 56 via theswitches 75 and 76 to the track 571 of the arrival line 57 will bedescribed,

After the train reaches the track 571, an engine staying on, say, thetrack 651 of the shunting engine pool 65 is to be used. Said engine runsvia the point 651!) in the direction of arrow 0 on the track 68 and,reaching the track 571 via the switch 77, it is coupled to the tail endof the arrived train on track 571. Then said engine pushes the trainfrom behind, In this case switches 78, 79, 81 and 82 are turned asfollows.

The labels of the cars constituting the arriving train are detected atthe time of arrival in order from the frontmost car to the hindmost car.

Assume that sidings 581, 591. 601 and 611 in the sorting lines 58, 59,60 and 61 are brake-van sidings: and sidings 582, 592. 602 and 612 arespecified car sidings; and other sidings in the sorting line 58. 59, 60and 61 are common sidings; and on each siding except said brake-vansidings the automatic multistage make-break lines 92-95 of the prior artare provided. The first car in the arriving train is to be directed ontothe siding 592, the second one onto the siding 602.

The information on the car number causes the control center to turn theswitch 78 to the right in the travelling direction, switches 79 and 5910to the left and switch 5920 to the right before the first car is pushedout of the arrival track.

Thereupon the shunting engine pushes the first car out in the directionof arrow b, and it then goes via the switches 79 and 592a to the sortingsiding 592. an electric track circuit of a relatively short length isformed at the points where the switches 78, 79 and 591a and 592a arelocated. Therefore, when the car moves into said track circuit. the carwheels pass over the rails forming the track circuit; whereby thecircuit is shorted and a track relay, such as is common in the priorart. drops, indicating the entry of the car into the circuit. When thecar leaves the track circuit, the shorting by the car wheels is endedand the track relay pick up, indicating that the circuit has beencleared by the car. in this the control center 69 receives theinformation every time a car has moved out of the track circuit at thepoints 78-592a. Thereupon the control center 69 turns the correspondingswitches to set a route for the next car, that is, in accordance withthe information on the order of the cars it sets the route for thesecond car by turning switches 78 and 79 to the right, swtiches 81 and601a to the left and switch 602a to the rig Then the engines pushes thesecond car out which enters the sorting track 602 via the switches78-81, 601a and 60211.

When the second car clears the track circuit at the points 78-6020 thepoints 78-602a are turned to set the route for the third car by thecontrol center 69.

in this manner, the arriving cars are successively sorted onto theappropriate sidings. An empty car, if any, is sent in the same as aboveto an appropriate track, say 632 of the empty car pool 63 by theswitches, say 78-84 being turned to right, switch 85 to left and switch632a to left by the control center 69. Any cars which cannot enter theright track, on account its being full, is temporarily transferred tothe shunting engine pool by the switch 84 and, say, switches 651a and65117 being turned to the proper positions, and it is trans ferred laterto any track of the arrival line 57 via the sub-loop track 68, ready forthe next sorting.

Thus, all arriving cars can be successively sorted onto appropriatesiding; and the automatic multistage makebreak lines 92-95, which areprovided if necessary, will rearrange them in the right order into atrain to be made up. Namely, the sidings 581, 591, 601 and 611 usuallyhold one brake-van; the sidings 581, 592, 602 and 612 usually hold anumber of specified cars; and the sidings 583-586, 593-596, 603-606 and613-616 usually hold a number of common cars. Usually the cars for thesame destination or the same direction are sorted onto appropriatesidings of the sorting lines 58, 59. 60 and 61.

When each siding is to a certain extent full of cars. the cars on thesesidings are moved to the departure line 64. This process according tothe present invention will be described for the case of cars on thesorting line 58 being moved to the departure track 641 of the departureline 64.

The sorting line 58 holds cars going in the same direction sorted in theorder of destinations. Namely, the siding 581 holds a brake-van; thesiding 582 holds a number of specified cars; and the sidings 583586 holdcommon cars. The sorted cars are memorized by the control center 69.

The switches 58612 and 6410 are turned to set a route for the brake-vanby the control center 69. a brake-van on the siding 581 is pushed out bya screw-booster of the type known in the prior art. whereby saidbrake-van will be rolled to the departure track 641. Information. onpassage of the brake-van over the track circuit at the switches 58119and 641a goes to the control center 69. Next the control center 69 turnsthe switches 58312 to the specified position. Then the cars placed onthe siding 583 in groups are pushed out by the screw-booster and coupledto the rear of the brake-van on the departure track 641. If a specifiednumber of cars are pushed out ofthe siding 583 and the rear of the lastone pushed out is to be connected to the specified cars on the siding582, then the control center 69, after the last car is pushed onto thedeparture track 641, turns the switch 582b to the proper position to setthe route thereby di recting the specified car to the rear of said lastcar. Thereafter, the other common cars are pushed out to be coupled tothe rear of the specified car. Similarly, depending on the make-up ofthe train to be started, the cars sorted onto the sidings aresuccessively pushed onto the departure track 641. Insertion of specifiedcars between the common cars if this is desired, will be accomplished bythe same process as described above.

Thus a train is formed on the departure track 641. The train is hauledby a locomotove to the main line 55 or 56 via the switches 641b, 91 and74 or 70, and from there it starts for its destination The cars sortedon the sorting lines 59, 60 and 61 are likewise pushed to appropriatedeparture tracks and from there they start for their destinations.

The car pushout devices used for this purpose can be a screw-booster anda car-pusher of the prior art as illustrated in FIGS. Zd-g. As shown inFIG. 2d, the main assembly of the screw-booster 99 extends in thelongitudinal direction of rails 96 and 96'. The top surface of the mainassembly of said screw-booster 99 lines below the tread surface of saidrail 96 and 96' between the rails. Notches 98 are cut inside of the railin the longitudinal direction of said main assembly of the screwbooster.

Drum 101 is provided at said notches 98, said drum 101 being a solidsteel rod, on the periphery of which is, say. two spiral fins 103 and104. Said drum 101 is vertical-displaceably mounted on the mountingframes 106 and 106' on pinions 105 and 105'. One end of said drum 101 isconnected to a rotating power source 102 by a power transmitting member102.

Depending on the necessity therefor, a plurality of screw-boosters asdescribed above can be provided along the rails and in this case thedrums 101 of the plurality of screwboosters can be connected to the samerotating power source 102. With this arrangement, the drum 101 when itis not in use is lowered by the vertical pinions 105 and 105'. In thelowered position the fins 103 and 104 are located by a specified amountbelow the tread surface of rail 96. When the screw-booster is to beused. the drum 101 is raised a specified amount using the verticalpinions 105 and 105', and as a result said fins 103 and 104 rise thespecified amount. The upward displacement of said drum 101 is sufficientso that the car wheel will be contacted; the power source 102 is thenactuated. Power from said source 102 is transmitted via the powertransmitting member 102' to the drum 101, and in consequence said drum101 is rotated as required.

If the pitch, projecting surface and height of the spiral fins 103 and104 on the screw-booster 99 above rail 96 are sufficient, rotation ofsaid drum will cause the fins 103 and 104 on the drum 101 to push thewheel 107 of a car standing over said screw-booster forward. therebyshifting the car forward. Thus, without resort to a shunting engine. acar can be pushed a short distancev As just described above, a cararriving from the main line can also be converged to the departure linevia the divergent loop track and the convergent loop track.

In FIG, 2b are again represented the essential elements of theembodiment in FIG. 2a of the present invention, i, e, the divergent looptrack 62, the sub-loop track and the convergent loop track 66.

FIGS. 30 and 3b illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention.The second embodiment represents a preferred example of the firstembodiment being particularly applicable for a railway freightyard.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3a and 3b, the divergent loop track, sortinglines and convergent loop track shown in FIGS. 20 and 2b aresymmetrically positioned on opposite sides of a common central arrivalline 57.

In FIGS. 3a and 3b, departure lines 640 and 64b correspond to thedeparture line 64 in FIGS. 2a and 2b; sorting lines 58a and 58b to thesorting line 58; sorting lines 590 and 59b to the sorting line 59;sorting lines 600 and 60b to the sorting line 60; divergent track loops62a and 62b to the divergent track loop 62; arrival line 57 to thearrival line 57; shunting engine pool a, 65b and empty car pools 63a and63b to the shunting engine 65 and empty car pool 63; sub-loop tracks 68aand 68b to the sub-loop track 68; and convergent loop tracks 66a and 66bto the convergent loop track 66. Switches 104 and 107 connect to themain lines 55 and 56.

With this arrangement in the present embodiment, a train arriving fromthe main line 56 enters the arrival line 57 via the points switch 105.The cars of this train are sorted one by one into appropriate sidings ofthe respective sorting lines by a shunting engine sent from the pool 65aor 65b and coupled to the rear of a car group, as the switches on thedivergent loop tracks 62a and 62b, the sorting lines 58a, 58b, 59a, 59b,60a and 60b are successively turned by the control center 69 whichmemorizes the label of each car in the train, to establish a route forthe first car just as in the example of FIGS. 2a and 2b. If in this casean empty car is present in the group of arriving cars, said car will bedelivered to the empty car pool siding 630 or 63b and a car needing aretransfer, if any, will be delivered via the sub-loop 68a or 68b to anappropriate track of the arrival line, just as described in example ofFIGS. 2a and 2b. When each of the sorting lines 580, 58b60a, 60b becomesfull, the cars thereon are successively converged on the departure lines64a and 64b by means of a conventional screw-booster; and aftercompletion of formation of a train, it starts via the switch 104 or 107for its destina tion. On the other hand, cars arriving from the mainline 55 pass the switch 106 and similarly reach the arrival line 57'. injust the same way as above they are sorted one by one via the divergentloop tracks 62a and 621) into the sorting lines 58a60a, 58b60b; andafter converging to the departure line 64a or 64b they start via thepoint 104 or I07 for their destination.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b. trains arriving fromthe main lines 55 and 56 from different directions are received on thesame track 57; the cars are sorted on the tracks symmetrically laid outcentering around said track 57 as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b; the carssorted into the sidings 58u-60b are converged via convergent loop tracks66a and 66b and again they are sent back to respective main lines viadeparture lines 640 and 64b.

The arrangement as illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b will be suitable for arailway freightyard, because the trains coming from main lines indifferent directions can be received on one arrival line and the cars inthem can be successively sorted by the track system laid out around thisarrival line according to the present inven tion.

FIGS. 4b and 4b illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention.This embodiment will be suitable for a freight station.

In FIGS. and 4b the same elements are denoted by the same numbers.

In FIGS. 4a and 4b, divergent loop tracks 62a and 62b are the same asthe divergent loop track 62 in FIG. 2a; sorting lines 58a and 5819 arethe same as the sorting line 58; sorting lines 59a and 59b are the sameas the sorting line 59; sorting lines 60a and 60b are the same as thesorting line 60; sorting lines 61a and 61b are the same as the sortingline 61; empty car loops 63a and 63b are the same as the empty car pool63; engine pool 65 is the same as the engine pool 65. 110 and 111 areswitches.

In this embodiment, the main lines are connected to the track system(hereinafter referred to as the basic loop track system) the same as theone in FIG. 2a,- each sorting line of said basic loop track system" isconnected to a separately laid out second divergent loop track; and thesorting lines branching out from said second divergent loop track areconnected via the departure lines to the main lines.

In other words, in the present embodiment two basic loop track systemsare point-symmetrically connected in series, the main line beingconnected to the first basic loop track system via the arrival line andthe second basic loop track system being connected to the main line viathe departure line track.

With this arrangement a train arriving from the main line 55 or 56 isreceived on a specified track of the arrival line 57 via the switches109 or 108. Next an engine dispatched from the shunting engine pool 65is coupled to the tail end of the train received on said track. Then, inthe same way as described in connection with FIG. 2a, the cars in thearriving train are successively pushed out by the engine and sorted ontoappropriate sidings of the sorting lines 58a 6lu. These sorting linesmay be each equipped with three dimensional mechanical cargo handlingdevices of the prior art. In this case, the cars on these sidings can beunloaded by means of these devices and cargo can be carried on adifferent level from the track, say, on the sec ond floor. When theunloading is finished, the finish signal goes to the control center.Thereupon, the cars, now empty, on the sorting lines 58(1-610 aresuccessively pushed out by a screw-booster of the prior art in thedirection of the other divergent track 62b, in the same way as describedin connection with FIG. 2a; and

the cars thus sorted onto appropriate sidings of specitied sorting linesare loaded by means of three dimensional cargo handling devices on eachsiding and pushed out in the same way as described in connection withFIG. 2a and go onto specified tracks of the departure line 64 to beformed into trains.

It is desirable for convenience of unloading that in this example thecar sorting on the first loop track system he done through control ofappropriate switches that is, the car be sorted depending on the type ofload, say, a container car or a common car. The car sorting in thesecond loop track system is done for convenience of loading, that is,the cars are sorted depending on how they are to be loaded, say, acontainer car or a common car.

It would be more desirable if the track system in this example were laidout on a first level, whereby cargo taken from the cars sorted on thesidings of the basic loop track system is carried upward by the threedimensional cargo handling devices of prior art to a cargo handlingplatform of the second level and vice versa,

According to the present invention. the conventional discontinuoussorting operation of hauling out cars by a shunting engine, as describedin connection with FIG. 1, can be eliminated; and the cars can be veryefficiently sorted by a continuous flow of cars in a single direction,thereby drastically saving time and labor heretofore wasted infreightyard and freight station op erations. According to the presentinvention, a small amount of land suffices for the track layout; andsince the track layout can be approximately square, land use can behighly efficient and land administration can be quite easy.

What is claimed is:

l. A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station,comprising an arrival line connected to main lines to receive arrivingtrains, a departure line connected to said main lines to allow departureof made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to thearrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departureline, a plurality of sorting lines connected to said divergent looptrack each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein andextending in a diverging direction therefrom, the ends of said sortinglines in the direction of movement of railway cars through said systembeing coupled to said convergent loop track, whereby when railway carsreceived on the arrival lines are pushed toward said divergent looptrack, said cars can be switched along said divergent loop track andsorted onto appropriate sidings of said sorting lines and then connectedsuccessively in the desired order in a train along said convergent looptrack to the departure line.

2. A loop track system as claimed in claim I further comprising asub-loop track connected at one point of said divergent loop track andto the end of the arrival line which is toward the main lines.

3. A loop track system as claimed in claim 2 in which said sub-looptrack includes a shunting engine pool having a plurality of parallelconnected sidings.

4. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some ofsaid sorting lines include brake-van sidings, specified car sidings andcommon car sidings.

5. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some ofsaid sorting lines include automatic multistage make-break lines.

6. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 in which only one divergentloop track is connected to the arrival line and there is a singleconvergent loop track directly connected to said sorting sidings.

7. A loop track system as claimed in claim l further comprising at leastone further divergent loop track connected to said arrival line. afurther plurality of sorting lines connected to said further divergentloop track and extending in a diverging direction therefrom. a furtherconvergent loop track connected to said plurality of sorting lines. anda further departure line connected between said further converging looptrack and the main lines. whereby the system is suitable for a railwayfreightyard and the one arrival line is jointly utilized for both loopportions of the system.

8. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at leastone further divergent loop track to which the ends of the sorting linesin the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system areconnected, a further plurality of sorting sidings connected to saidfurther divergent loop track and extending in a diverging directiontherefrom and having the ends in the direction of movement of therailway cars through the system connected to said convergent loop track,whereby the system is suitable for a railway freight station.

i i i i i

1. A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station,comprising an arrival line connected to main lines to receive arrivingtrains, a departure line connected to said main lines to allow departureof made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to thearrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departureline, a plurality of sorting lines Connected to said divergent looptrack each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein andextending in a diverging direction therefrom, the ends of said sortinglines in the direction of movement of railway cars through said systembeing coupled to said convergent loop track, whereby when railway carsreceived on the arrival lines are pushed toward said divergent looptrack, said cars can be switched along said divergent loop track andsorted onto appropriate sidings of said sorting lines and then connectedsuccessively in the desired order in a train along said convergent looptrack to the departure line.
 2. A loop track system as claimed in claim1 further comprising a sub-loop track connected at one point of saiddivergent loop track and to the end of the arrival line which is towardthe main lines.
 3. A loop track system as claimed in claim 2 in whichsaid sub-loop track includes a shunting engine pool having a pluralityof parallel connected sidings.
 4. A loop track system as claimed inclaim 1 wherein at least some of said sorting lines include brake-vansidings, specified car sidings and common car sidings.
 5. A loop tracksystem as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said sorting linesinclude automatic multistage make-break lines.
 6. A loop track system asclaimed in claim 1 in which only one divergent loop track is connectedto the arrival line and there is a single convergent loop track directlyconnected to said sorting sidings.
 7. A loop track system as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising at least one further divergent loop trackconnected to said arrival line, a further plurality of sorting linesconnected to said further divergent loop track and extending in adiverging direction therefrom, a further convergent loop track connectedto said plurality of sorting lines, and a further departure lineconnected between said further converging loop track and the main lines,whereby the system is suitable for a railway freightyard and the onearrival line is jointly utilized for both loop portions of the system.8. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at leastone further divergent loop track to which the ends of the sorting linesin the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system areconnected, a further plurality of sorting sidings connected to saidfurther divergent loop track and extending in a diverging directiontherefrom and having the ends in the direction of movement of therailway cars through the system connected to said convergent loop track,whereby the system is suitable for a railway freight station.